MANTRA, Russian Scientists Join Hands to Make Surat India’s Defence Textile Hub

SURAT : In a significant step towards strengthening India’s technical textile capabilities, scientists from the Man-Made Textiles Research Association (MANTRA), Surat, held high-level strategic discussions with leading Russian scientists and technical textile experts during Bharat Tex 2026 held in New Delhi last week. The meeting was organized at the Ratanmoti Group pavilion from Ichalkaranji, where experts exchanged ideas on future collaboration in advanced defence textile technologies.

Representing MANTRA, Dr. Pankaj Gandhi, Director, and Dr. Hitesh Jariwala, Deputy Director, participated in the discussions aimed at exploring opportunities for developing Surat as India’s premier Defence Textile (DefenceTex) manufacturing and innovation hub.

The deliberations focused on advanced textile materials used in defence, military, army, naval, aerospace, aviation, homeland security, and strategic industrial applications. Russian experts shared valuable insights on global trends in high-performance textile materials, while MANTRA highlighted Surat’s unparalleled manufacturing ecosystem based on Man-Made Fibres (MMF) and its vast textile processing infrastructure.

Dr. Pankaj Gandhi explained that the future of defence textiles lies in the development of high-performance synthetic and engineered fibre-based materials, including aramid, UHMWPE, carbon fibre composites, flame-retardant fabrics, ballistic protection materials, camouflage textiles, geotextiles, parachute fabrics, protective uniforms, aviation textiles, filtration media, inflatable defence structures, and advanced composite reinforcement fabrics. Since Surat is India’s largest producer and processor of MMF-based textiles, the city possesses a strong industrial foundation to emerge as a global centre for DefenceTex manufacturing.

During the meeting, both sides also discussed potential collaboration in technology transfer, product development, testing methodologies, quality certification, and international standards required for defence applications. The interaction emphasized the importance of developing indigenous capabilities under the Government of India’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative while enhancing export competitiveness in strategic textile products.

Dr. Hitesh Jariwala stated that the technical knowledge shared during these discussions would be systematically analysed to identify business opportunities for Surat’s textile industry. He noted that diversification into defence textiles would enable textile manufacturers to move towards high-value-added products, reduce dependence on conventional apparel markets, and create significant opportunities in exports, research, and advanced manufacturing.

Following these strategic deliberations, MANTRA will prepare a comprehensive technical report and roadmap on developing Surat as a Defence Textile Hub. The report will identify priority product segments, technology gaps, infrastructure requirements, testing and certification needs, research opportunities, and potential collaboration models. The document will serve as a practical guide for textile entrepreneurs, manufacturers, start-ups, and policymakers to accelerate product development in the rapidly growing DefenceTex sector.

With India’s increasing investments in defence modernization and the expanding global demand for technical textiles used in military and security applications, Surat is well positioned to leverage its world-class MMF ecosystem, weaving capacity, processing expertise, and entrepreneurial strength to become a leading manufacturing base for next-generation defence textile products.

MANTRA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the textile industry through research, technology development, testing, skill development, and international collaborations, thereby contributing to India’s vision of becoming a global leader in advanced technical textiles and defence manufacturing.